This invention relates to methods and apparatuses for containing bulk flowable materials for transportation, storage, loading and unloading; it further relates to product discharge assemblies used with such apparatuses. Examples of such materials are chemicals and paints, which present a significant cleaning challenge when the tank or container is to be reused, and which also may present environmental concerns. The tank or container generally takes the form of a durable outer shape-retaining portion and having an inner flexible and disposable liner. After transportation and/or storage, the flowable materials are emptied from the container, and the durable portion of the container is reused. The disposable liner of the container is removed from the durable portion and is properly disposed of. The container is then prepared for the receipt of a new liner and reuse of the container.
It is known to make containers in which a liner sealingly connects at a discharge tube or fitting of the liner with a discharge conduit of the container by forcing of the discharge tube or fitting into a frictional or tapered sealing engagement with a discharge conduit of the container body. This prior system, however, presents a risk that seepage may occur between the discharge tube or fitting of the liner and the discharge conduit of the container body. Also, it presents a risk that the discharge tube or fitting of the liner may become dislodged from sealing engagement with the discharge conduit of the container body. In each case, a mere frictional or interference radial fit of the liner discharge tube or fitting into a surrounding discharge conduit of the container body is relied upon to effect sealing of the liner to the container body. However, this tenuous seal is located below the level of liquid or semi-liquid contents of the package, so that a loss of sealing integrity causes a flow of at least part of the package contents into the space between the liner and container body.
Directed to remedying the problems in the prior art, disclosed herein is a tank and liner combination, the tank has shape-retaining walls defining a tank chamber and a discharge opening from this tank chamber. The liner has flexible walls which define a liner chamber that substantially fills the tank chamber, and a discharge assembly is sealingly attached to the tank at the discharge opening and defines a discharge passage. The liner includes a (corrugated flexible) tube member extending in the discharge passage, and a gasket portion extends radially of the discharge passage to define a pair of opposite axially disposed sides. The gasket portion sealingly engages on one of the opposite axially disposed sides with the discharge assembly and sealingly engages on the other of the opposite sides with a member closing or securing the discharge passage.